SR 11-25 Dated 10/11

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

INTER-DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATION

SUMMARY

This SR releases the 2011 annual Food Stamp Program updates to:

·   the maximum benefit allotments;

·   the gross and net income limits;

·   the standard utility allowances (SUAs); and

·   certain income deductions.

Form 215, Reporting Requirements Handout, and the Food Stamp 130% Reporting Requirements Poster have been revised accordingly.

This SR additionally releases an unrelated change to the Food Stamp Manual (FSM) to remove the requirement that a valid Food Stamp application must also include a request for a specific program of assistance. The federal regulating agency for the Food Stamp Program has indicated that 7 CFR 273.2(c)(1) describes a valid Food Stamp application as one that merely contains a name, address, and signature of the applicant or Authorized Representative. Because NH has always had a joint application to reduce obstacles for clients in applying for all DFA programs offered, NH has always also asked the applicant to identify the program of assistance requested. This prevented the applicant from receiving requests for information required by programs for which the individual did not apply, and prevented the applicant from potentially receiving several notices indicating their ineligibility for programs for which they did not apply. If the applicant did not identify the program for which they were applying, the application was still accepted and the client’s eligibility for all programs was determined. Several topics in the FSM were revised to remove text indicating that the request for a program of assistance is a component of a completed Food Stamp application. Any applications that are complete but do not indicate a program of assistance must continue to have eligibility determined for every program of assistance offered by DFA, including Food Stamps.

POLICY

Benefit Allotments and Gross and Net Income Limits

Food Stamp Program benefit allotment amounts remain unchanged from the 2010 figures. The maximum benefit allotment amounts were increased by approximately 13.6% in 2009 as a result of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). Due to this ARRA increase in 2009, Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has indicated that maximum benefit allotments will likely remain unchanged through 2012.

Gross and net income limits for all group sizes will increase as noted below, effective October 1, 2011.

1Gross income limits do not apply to the elderly and disabled Target Population.

Standard Utility Allowances

Effective October 1, 2011, the Standard Utility Allowances are as follows:

Income Deductions

Effective October 1, 2011, the Standard Deduction is as follows:

·   the Excess Shelter Expense Deduction increased from $458 to $459;

·   the Homeless Shelter Allowance remains unchanged at $143; and

·   the Medical Deduction remains unchanged at $83.

Extended Food Stamp Benefits

Extended Food Stamp (EFS) benefit allotments will be updated to reflect the current Food Stamp federal deductions effective 10/1/11. Refer to Food Stamp Manual PART 249, EXTENDED FOOD STAMPS (EFS), for more information on EFS benefits.

NEW HEIGHTS SYSTEMS PROCEDURES AND IMPLEMENTATION

The following updates were programmed into New HEIGHTS to calculate food stamp eligibility and benefits for the October 1, 2011 issuance:

·   the gross and net income limits for all group sizes;

·   the updated standard utility allowances, determined by NH; and

·   the federally-determined income deductions that changed.

The 2011 October Food Stamp Mass Change Schedule will run as follows:

POST MASS CHANGE REPORTS

The reports below are produced as a result of the October Mass Change. These reports are available in New HEIGHTS each subsequent working day after the mass change is run.

NMC600RA: Status After MC

This report lists all cases that were selected for the Mass Change, including cases that were successfully confirmed as shown on NMC540RA and those that were not confirmed (exceptions shown on NMC550RA). This report is sorted by District Office and contains the following information: D.O., Worker Name, Client Name, Case Number, and Household Size.

NMC600RB: Status Before MC

This report shows the pre-mass change status of cases that were selected for the Mass Change. It contains the following information: D.O., Worker Name, Client Name, Case Number, and Household Size.

NMC540RA: AG’s Affected by MC

This report lists all cases upon which the Mass Change ran successfully through confirmation. It contains the following information: D.O., Worker Name, Client Name, and Case Number.

NMC550RA: MC Exception

This report lists cases that were selected for the Mass Change, but were not confirmed due to some discrepancy in data. These cases require further District Office action. The report contains the following information: D.O., Worker Name, Client Name, Case Number, Reason for Exception, and Mass Change Type.

UNRELATED POLICY CLARIFICATION

Topics were revised in FSM Chapter 100 to remove the requirement that a valid Food Stamp application must also include a request for a specific program of assistance. The federal regulating agency for the Food Stamp Program has indicated that 7 CFR 273.2(c)(1) describes a valid Food Stamp application as one that merely contains a name, address, and signature of the applicant or Authorized Representative. As such, text in the FSM that implied anything different was revised accordingly. Any applications that are complete but do not indicate a program of assistance must continue to have eligibility determined for every program of assistance offered by DFA, including Food Stamps.

DESCRIPTION OF REVISIONS MADE TO FORMS

DFA Form 215, Reporting Requirements Handout, and the Food Stamp 130% Reporting Requirements Poster have been updated to incorporate the current figures provided by FNS.

District Offices will be provided with an advance supply of DFA Form 215 and the new version of the poster, both dated 10/11, at the end of September. Old versions of DFA Form 215 and old versions of the posters must be recycled. A Certificate of Destruction is included in this SR. Place a reorder through the DHHS Warehouse/Logistics via the District Office’s Quarterly Forms Order (QFO) when the supply of the new version of DFA 215 is low.

POLICY MANUAL REVISIONS

Revised Food Stamp Manual Topics

PART 109    APPLICATION PROCESS

Section 109.01    Filing an Application

PART 601, TABLE E   FOOD STAMP MAXIMUM MONTHLY INCOME LIMITS

PART 601, TABLE F   MAXIMUM FOOD STAMP ALLOTMENTS

PART 601, TABLE G   DETERMINING FOOD STAMP ALLOTMENTS

PART 601, TABLE I   FOOD STAMP DEDUCTIONS

IMPLEMENTATION

Policy released in this SR is effective October 1, 2011. An advance supply of DFA Form 215 and the new Food Stamp 130% Reporting Requirements Poster, both dated 10/11, will be distributed to the District Offices at the end of September. Recycle all versions of DFA Form 215 and the Food Stamp 130% Reporting Requirements Posters, which are not dated 10/11. When the advance supply of DFA Form 215 is low, resume regular ordering procedures through the DHHS Warehouse/Logistics via the District Office’s QFO.

CLIENT NOTIFICATION

Households experiencing a change in Food Stamp benefits due to the mass change will receive a standard New HEIGHTS Notice of Decision (NOD). The following message will also appear in the "Explanations" section of the NOD:

ON OCTOBER 1, FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS INCREASED THE INCOME LIMITS AND THE AMOUNT OF DEDUCTIONS YOU CAN CLAIM. YOUR FOOD STAMP BENEFITS, AS SHOWN IN THE OLD AND NEW BUDGET ABOVE, WERE ADJUSTED TO REFLECT THESE CHANGES.

No additional client notification is planned.

TRAINING

No training is planned or needed.

FORMS MANUAL POSTING INSTRUCTIONS

DISPOSITION

This SR may be destroyed or deleted after its contents have been noted and the revised manual topics released by this SR have been posted to the On-line manuals.

DISTRIBUTION

This SR will be distributed according to the electronic distribution list for Division of Family Assistance policy releases. This SR, and revised On-Line Manuals, will be available for agency staff in the On-Line Manual Library, and for public access on the Internet at www.dhhs.nh.gov/DFA/publications.htm, effective October 3, 2011. Additionally, this SR, and printed pages with posting instructions, will be distributed under separate cover to all internal hard copy holders of the Food Stamp and Forms Manuals.

DFA/KD:s